Frank Yallop resigns from Canada coaching post

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Well I insist that anyone citing a nationality of coaches as the ideal, or the wrong way to go, is missing the point. All nations have serious contradictions, big stylistic differences, and rival styles.

I do agree with you, Nolando, that we have to have a coach with some idea of where we are playing (concacaf), and what it means to go into Guatemala or receive Costa Rica.

We are also into the eternal question of how to deal with the players and their club committments. We thought Holger got too tough and lost patience with it all, but Yallop should have handled it better and still ended up being partisan, falling into choices based on his old-boy network, or picking up kids that were not ready so he could have some players totally reliant upon him.

I do not think a single existing coach in Canada can do the job for us, as Mitchell, possibly one of the most serious and brightest, does not handle his groups that well, has been very unfair to certain players along the way, and has not really created a clear playing style that will get us anywhere.

Canada plays well below the level of our players, just the opposite of the US, who play way above the level of their players. That difference is partially coaching, but also having a competent national association running the program.

[CanadasBest]

Also Ben Knights Article from October

Article Courtesy of: Ben Knight, Sportsnet

Canada's World Cup soccer coach has a brighter future than the team he's managing.

Let us speculate, shall we?

As Major League Soccer in the United States gears up for its playoff chase, one of its most successful, acclaimed and accomplished ex-coaches is instead preparing Canada for a November friendly against Luxembourg.

As an exciting 2005 soccer season reaches it climax across America, with significant coaching opportunities about to come vacant for 2006, this same gifted coach is focused on a long-shot qualifying campaign for the World Cup - in 2010.

Hardly seems right, does it?

No, I haven't come up with a galloping case of disloyalty to my beloved national soccer team. But rumours walk the night that head coach Frank Yallop is considering a quick return to the pro ranks - and I can't come up with a good business reason why he shouldn't go.

Yallop was MLS coach of the year in 2001, and won league championships with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2001 and 2003. He has done a decent enough job of guiding Canada's soccer fortunes abroad, but the 2006 World Cup qualifying run screeched and shuddered to an early, undistinguished end.

None of which was really Yallop's fault. He did an admirable job blending the experience of his aging veterans with the enthusiasm and promise of a blossoming group of youthful prospects. Three of those prospects, goalie Lars Hirschfeld, Patrice Bernier and Stephen Ademolu just helped Tromso of Norway score an enormous upset win over Turkish giants Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup. Bernier scored, and Hirschfeld made a pair of tough, crucial saves - in Istanbul, one of the toughest places on earth for a visiting team to get a result. That's great experience, and it's certainly going to help later.

But Yallop also got dealt some bad circumstances, which really cut into the overall progress.

The first was inheriting a team mired in the dysfunction and distraction left behind by former bench boss Holger Osieck. I realize I'm a harsher Osieck critic than most, but this was a coach who openly belittled his players, benching and banishing them as if there were other, better players lined up five-deep to take their places. Yallop had a lot of healing to do, and very little time to get it done.

The second was the refereeing in the two World Cup qualifying games against Honduras. In both games, Canada earned wins, but had to settle for draws when bizarre and clearly wrong calls by the officials allowed Honduras to escape with a pair of draws. And while it's pretty clear that Canada was not going to make it to the big dance this time around, those results robbed Canada of ten irreplaceable games they would have played against strong competition in the second round of qualifying.

Scrambling friendlies with Northern Ireland, Portugal and Spain does not, in any way, make up for that loss.

So now Frank Yallop turns around, and what does he see? A couple of long, dry seasons before the new qualifying run begins in 2008. Meanwhile, MLS is continuing to grow Stateside, and a rising tide of whispers hints that the head coaching posts of the Metrostars or L.A. Galaxy could be Yallop's for the asking.

So should he stay, or should he go?

Hold that thought for a second, and let's scoot down to the gray, windy concrete expanses of Toronto's Exhibition Place. Remember the Toronto soccer stadium, which 27 months ago was going to be at the Ex, and then bounced up to Varsity, further north to York University and then back down to the abandoned Air Force base at Downsview?

Well, now it's apparently back at the Ex. This after Toronto Mayor David Miller finally offered up a $9.5-million financial incentive to the project, which already has the backing of the federal and provincial governments. But Miller's money is only good at the Ex.

Okay, so now we've got three levels of government, but still not enough money to conjure up 20,000 seats and a gleaming green soccer pitch. Corporate sponsorship - as has been many times lamented in this space - is still conspicuous in its absence.

Unless we are finally about to get an MLS expansion team in Toronto.

No, I haven't heard anything more than you have. The words "Toronto," "expansion" and "2007" do pop up from time to time, but so do the words "Canadian Soccer Association," "stadium" and "ever."

So, purely in the spirit of wild speculation, let us assume:

1) The owners of the as-yet unannounced Toronto MLSers are the missing corporate component of the stadium deal.

2) Their first act, on being awarded the franchise, will be to name Frank Yallop coach and general manager.

This scenario solves a ton of problems. Sure, I'd rather have Yallop coaching Canada, but I don't think that's a realistic hope. But Yallop knows Toronto in the MLS would be a huge step forward for Canada's entire player-development program. Yallop is also a huge believer in international soccer, who has made tremendous sacrifices for Canada, both as a coach and a player.

There isn't a better man for the Toronto job, and Canada couldn't hope to have a more understanding and co-operative partner on strategic player-related issues such as development - and availability.

We should have confirmation of a deal between the CSA and the Ex by the end of October. But this will be the stadium's fifth site announcement, and there still hasn't been a single truckload of cement sent to any of them.

What we really need is some concrete clarification of the MLS situation.

I'm sure Frank Yallop would love to know exactly what his long-term options are.

Ben Knight writes about soccer and lacrosse regularly on Sportsnet.ca.

See Ben's previous columns

[CanadasBest]

quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

Well I insist that anyone citing a nationality of coaches as the ideal, or the wrong way to go, is missing the point. All nations have serious contradictions, big stylistic differences, and rival styles.

I do agree with you, Nolando, that we have to have a coach with some idea of where we are playing (concacaf), and what it means to go into Guatemala or receive Costa Rica.

We are also into the eternal question of how to deal with the players and their club committments. We thought Holger got too tough and lost patience with it all, but Yallop should have handled it better and still ended up being partisan, falling into choices based on his old-boy network, or picking up kids that were not ready so he could have some players totally reliant upon him.

I do not think a single existing coach in Canada can do the job for us, as Mitchell, possibly one of the most serious and brightest, does not handle his groups that well, has been very unfair to certain players along the way, and has not really created a clear playing style that will get us anywhere.

Canada plays well below the level of our players, just the opposite of the US, who play way above the level of their players. That difference is partially coaching, but also having a competent national association running the program.

Well said.

[Desigol]

How about Terry Vennables?

He always does a good job with the teams he amnages and raised the profile of Soccer in Australia.

[tg-13]

quote:Originally posted by Calgary Boomer

As for Craig Forrest...give your head a shake. Just because he's a goalkeeper and a TV analyst, doesn't make him equipped to coach. There are way more candidates domestically that would have to be put ahead of Forrest.

Perhaps I didn't phrase myself properly. Forrest is far from the ideal man for the job, and I do not support his candidature. What I meant to say if that we shouldn't automatically assume that the CSA will disqualify Forrest from the reckoning because of his lack of experience. Hiring former national team stars with little or no experience is actually quite commonplace in international football.

[Bill Ault]

Yesterday Frank Yallop stepped down as head coach of Canada's national team to take the head coaching position with the LA Galaxy of MLS today he spoke to CanadaKicks about the change. http://dl01.blastpodcast.com/CKRadio/15282_1149804999.mp3 to listen to the podcast.

[canadiankick97]

quote:Originally posted by wildboy26

I am a bit worried now because I remember making a bet on here for $200 that Lars would not start another game for Canada by the end of 2008. Well that was based only on Yallop being head coach. Now that he is gone I am worried that I might lose the bet because of that. Can somebody ensure me that it is quite safe Lars will not start for Canada a single game by the end of 2008 just as it was with Frank as head coach, or does that change now? If the person I made the bet with is here does the bet still count with unforseen coaching change.

K, well I didn't anticipate the change either but whatever. I really don't care, just tell me what you want to do.

[youllneverwalkalone]

How about Tante Kathe for manager? I feel like we were on the right track with the concept of an anti-Holger -though I'm not sure Yallop turned out to be the guy.

[Guest Dave]

quote:Originally posted by wildboy26

Well making that bet made perfect sense at the time since it was very obvious Lars was shunned from the Canadian Soccer team when Yallop took over. I made that bet not knowing he would resign. There was no indication he was going to resign, and his being there was the reason it was obvious enough that Lars was excluded from any involvement with Canadian Soccer that it made sense to make the bet. There was no indication he might resign, I dont know how I was supposed to forsee that happening.

hey wildboy26,

your profile says you are from Bathurst (like me).... unless you mean the street in T.O. or the island in the Arctic... (or the capital of that African country. [] ) Assuming you mean Bathurst NB, drop me a line (I tried to send email to you but the server wouldn't let me.)

Dave

[Guest Dave]

quote:Originally posted by wildboy26

Well making that bet made perfect sense at the time since it was very obvious Lars was shunned from the Canadian Soccer team when Yallop took over. I made that bet not knowing he would resign. There was no indication he was going to resign, and his being there was the reason it was obvious enough that Lars was excluded from any involvement with Canadian Soccer that it made sense to make the bet. There was no indication he might resign, I dont know how I was supposed to forsee that happening.

hey wildboy26,

your profile says you are from Bathurst (like me).... unless you mean the street in T.O. or the island in the Arctic... (or the capital of that African country. [] ) Assuming you mean Bathurst NB, drop me a line (I tried to send email to you but the server wouldn't let me.)

Dave

[Guest Dave]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

I think they are as Latino, as the Italians, French, Mexicans, Argentinians, etc.

I don't mean to quibble, but I think you may be confusing "Romance Languages" with "Latino".... I've never heard the French or Italians called that.... although of course the Romans invented Latin. I do think the Brazilians can be called "Latino" however.

[Guest Dave]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

I think they are as Latino, as the Italians, French, Mexicans, Argentinians, etc.

I don't mean to quibble, but I think you may be confusing "Romance Languages" with "Latino".... I've never heard the French or Italians called that.... although of course the Romans invented Latin. I do think the Brazilians can be called "Latino" however.

[harding]

quote:Originally posted by Bill Ault

Yesterday Frank Yallop stepped down as head coach of Canada's national team to take the head coaching position with the LA Galaxy of MLS today he spoke to CanadaKicks about the change. http://dl01.blastpodcast.com/CKRadio/15282_1149804999.mp3 to listen to the podcast.

hubert busby jr.

[harding]

quote:Originally posted by Bill Ault

Yesterday Frank Yallop stepped down as head coach of Canada's national team to take the head coaching position with the LA Galaxy of MLS today he spoke to CanadaKicks about the change. http://dl01.blastpodcast.com/CKRadio/15282_1149804999.mp3 to listen to the podcast.

hubert busby jr.

[Cheeta]

As everybody should be well aware of by now very little of significance happens in the world of Canadian football that escapes the ever watchful eye and ear of Litterbox the Telepathic Fly. The always welcome, but unforeseen guest.

Cheeta;

Come again. How long have you and Alexi Lalas been pals?

Litterbox;

Ever since I sprung him from that Chinese prison camp in Tibet back in ’01. Wasn’t the smartest move on my part, might have blown my cover, but what can I say? Felt sorry for the guy. There he was, just this guy seeking enlightenment and then bam! He’s locked up with a bunch of chanting monks and angry People’s Army types with submachine guns. Not very pleasant at all. Especially if you don’t speak, Tibetan, Chinese or anything.

Cheeta;

And you were doing what in Tibet exactly?

Litterbox;

Uh, well you know. My mission here on Earth is to submerse myself in the facets of you cultures. So there I was. Seeking enlightenment just like Alexi.

Cheeta;

Yeaaaah? And just like Alexi did you find any enlightenment?

Litterbox;

Absolutely. A good kilos worth. DOOP!!! Forget that. Never said it. Listen, you want the low down on Lalas and Yallop or not?

Cheeta;

Hell yeah.

Litterbox;

Okay then, let Tibet go already. Geez, a Fly makes one mistake….

“Frankie. Dude. You have GOT to come down to Los Angeles and work your magic, Baby. It’s all so uncool. People are yelling and accountants are accounting and the negative karma is just so thick you can like see it there, just hanging right in your face. And it’s all so smug and ghetto it’s like “Dude, I’m Bad Karma and I’m in your face and there’s nothing you can do about it because I’m making you my Bitch. Get me an Evian, Bitch. Cut my toe-nails, Bitch. Go take the dog for a ****, Bitch. Yeah, take the dog for a **** and don’t forget the little plastic bag to pick up that bitch’s ****, BITCH.” Frankie, Dude. We need your love down here, man.”

“Sorry to hear that, Alexi. Sorry for you and the lads. Some good fellows you’ve got there who maybe need a bit of a different direction and I would help if I could but I’m in with the Canadian Men’s National team now and just can’t be in two places at once.”

“Dude, come on. Share the love. You’ve got magic in like, Costco bulk. There’s plenty to go around.”

“I’d love to. Honest, Alexi I would. But it hasn’t been all sunshine and kisses up here for me either you know. And now they’ve got on this new fellow at the CSA, Bates is his name and his accent is way thicker than mine. Do you know what that means, Alexi? They’ve-got-on-another-accent. This is serious. I think they’re shopping my job around. I really do. I just can’t split duties right now.”

“Harsh. Oh, harsh, cruel, world. Dude, don’t sweat it. You’re the FRANKSTER. There’s no drama here, man. Why would you think there is?”

“Well, because Bates said to me just this Sunday, and I quote; If you fu’king think you’re going to sign on to MLS you twat, I’ll crush you, you stupid Yorkie Monkey.”

“Whoaaaa.”

“Yeah, whoaaa. ”

“Sorry, Dude. But like, does he have a bad sort of Austin Powers accent?”

“Well. Yes, and no. I guess. Sort of. Why?”

“I called CSA HQ on like, Saturday-ish looking for you and this guy answered with a nasty, fake Austin Powers accent. It sounded SO FAKE but you weren’t around just then so we got to just communicating and I like told him I’m Alexi Lalas and I needed you to put the Eh back in L.A. for me and I would make it worth your while and all and he said you’ve got a job already and I said yeah, but like you told me you don’t like it cause it sucked ass working for a bunch of no-mind, cheap skate loosers and stuff so maybe you could come hang out with us down here at the same time. You know? Like a sort of Morman sharing the love with his two wives sort of thing, you know? And then he got all hostile and just hung up, you know? He was like, real irrational and rude all at once.”

“Oh, no.”

“Sorry, Dude.”

“Half a minute, Alexi. I’ve got a beep.”

……..

“Alexi?”

“Frankie?”

“That was Kevin Pipe. It looks like I’ll be coming to help you out after all. Apparently, it seems like I’m missing the day to day contact with players that can only come at a club level…”

“DUDE!!!”

Cheeta;

Ah, ha ha ha ha.

Litterbox;

Ah, ha ha ha ha

Holger Osiek;

Ah, ha ha ha ha

[wildboy26]

quote:Originally posted by canadiankick97

K, well I didn't anticipate the change either but whatever. I really don't care, just tell me what you want to do.

Oh we should keep the bet. I was just reacting in my hysterical way when I hear news that shocks me. I never specified anything about Frank having to be coach or anything. I just assumed he was going to be the coach until 2012 or something like that, so I never thought to do it but that is my fault.

Either way I am interested to see how different the whole squad looks like from the ones Frank picked usually, to see how many biases he really did have. That will be great to have that mystery uncovered. [}]

[Bxl Boy]

Dave, you're the confused one !

French, Portuguese, Spanish and of course Italian speakers are latinos (some consider Romanians too)

The latinos you think about are latino-americans

And those are all the ones who speak one of these languages and live in America, except the french canadians

[RJB]

This move by Yallop seems to be a lot like the move that Landon Donovan made. Two MLS lifers I suppose. Donovan left for Leverkusen, and couldn't cut it and had to come back. Yallop left for Team Canada, and couldn't cut it, and had to come back.

It's sad really, because I think that being succesful with Canada would have lead Frank to greener pastures. But success in MLS will only lead him to bounce around the MLS carousel of coaches.

Can you coach them all Frank? We'll see...

[Guest speedmonk42]

Is anyone else having dark fantasies about just how bad a person they MIGHT hire?

Perhaps we could start a "Do Not Hire" list.

1. Zibignew Grosneki (sp?) aka Ziggy.

2. ???

[Grizzly]

If they hire Steve Sampson I will personally visit Yallop and ask him to come back and we all know I am not a big fan of Yallop.

[DoyleG]

quote:Originally posted by Sigma

Credit: Stobe-z

That was one bad acid trip.

[mjoni]

Quick, cap Beenhakker! But seriously, subbing in forward Glen when you're a man down? -that took guts. A tactician accustomed to working with a limited budget. Experienced, objective, speaks fluent Dutch like JDG2...the list goes on...

[Daniel]

I'm guessing that Frank's option was renewable on the first day of the World Cup.

[way2goeh]

During the WCQ, I was one to say fire his ass. After taking a few valium, I realized that he needs more time. So now what does he do? Quits Canada after showing some promise. This is BS!!! What a f-in idiot he is. Of course if I was him, I´d do the same thing. Now what? Look for another stupid once Canadian player to coach? I hope they dont do this b/c there is NOONE from Canada that could even coach a high school team. They better get an extremely qualified coach from ANOTHER COUNTRY! I can think of a thousand Brasilian coaches that would do anything to get out of Brasil and not worry about being killed by brasilian fans. Dang, Im so mad. Just when things look promising, the coach bails. Great job CSA. You suck and so does anyone with the association. Thank god Sharpe is history soon. Well, I guess the next WCQ is already lost. Im sorry if this is harsh, but 20 years of BS would make anyone go postal.

Now that I´m finished with my rant, I do want to say that I just found out that Yallop left during the Sweden x T&T game here on ESPN Brasil. They call Canada the laughing stock of the America´s. Not sure if thats right, needed someone to translate that for me. This thread is 3 days old and theres 8 pages. This says alot. Most are mad, some are thrilled. CSA, spend the money to get a good international coach, and get some games at home. Keep Mitchell where he is. If he´s doing good at that level, that means the players will only get better when they make the senior level for our new coach. I think that teh WCC 2007 is very important for Canada and our soccer programme. Ive read in alot of places that if Brasil can´t make better stadiums, Canada will be looked at for the WC 2014. Wake up CSA. Lets not blow our opportunities (again).

PS..... still waiting for that Brasil x Canada game here in São Paulo []

[Moosehead]

One of the contributing reasons for his leaving may have been he was annoyed that Canada did not play enough games. Seems a lot seem to leave or bail because of the CSA.